Book-open-holding device.



No. 666,972. P'atented Jan. 29, 1901;

J. ONEAL. I

BOOK OPEN HOLDING DEVICE.

(Application'flled July 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

NlTED STATES ATENT FFICE.

JOSEPH L. ONEAL, OF NEWTONIA, MISSOURI.

BOOK-OPEN-HOLDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 72, datedanua y 2 1.901-

Applioation filed July 13, 1900. Serial No. 23,478. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. ONEAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newtonia, in the county of Newton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Open-Holding Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in devices for holding books in an open position; and it consists in the novel construction of holder more fully set forth in the specifica tion and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved holder. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper end of a book, showing my holder applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the corresponding parts, and Fig. 4 is a top end view.

The object of my invention is to construct a holder of a single piece of wire in such manner as to be readily slipped over any page of a book, not only retaining the book in any open position, but insuring the holding down of the leaves when once the book is opened out to any particular page.

In detail the device may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the back-engaging portion, being substantially U-shaped in configuration, the terminals of the arms of said portion being formed each into a resilient loop 2, the loops being coiled exterior-1y to the arms of said U-shaped portion and having outward extensions 3, which are subsequently folded back upon themselves in the form of inwardly-extending resilient arms 4, the adjacent terminals of which are bent outwardly at 5 to prevent becoming embedded into the pages (of the book) with which the said curved ends come in contact. The base of the U -shaped back-engaging portion is considerably below the line of the arms 4, so that the back of the book is engaged below the line along which the arms 4 engage the pages of the book. The object of this arrangement is to avoid'overlapping the reading matter as little as possible and yet at the same time insure the retention of the book in its open position.

In applying the holder to a book the latter is first opened to the desired page, after which the holder is slipped over the upper edge thereof, as best seen in Figs. 2, 3, and at, the loops 2 causing the parts to close snugly against the opposite surfaces of the book and the arms 4c holding down the pages which they respectively engage. The loops 2 of course are disposed one on each side of the center line of the book. To remove the holder, the latter can be seized by the loops 2 and withdrawn without the slightest damage to the pages of the book.

It is apparent,of course,that minor changes might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a holder composed of a single piece of wire and comprising a substantially U-shaped back-engaging portion, resilient loops at the ends of the arms thereof coiled exteriorly to said arms,

outward extensions from said coils, the extensions being folded back on themselves into inwardly-extending alining arms, the base of the back-engaging portion being adapted to engage the back of the book at a point below the line of engagement of the arms with the pages of the book, substantially as set forth.

2. As an article of manufacture, a holder composed of a single piece of wire and comprising a substantially U-shaped back-engaging portion, resilient loops at the ends of the arms thereof coiled exteriorly to said arms, outward extensions from said coils, the extensions being folded back on themselves into inwardly-extending alining arms, the adjacent free ends of the said arms being turned away from the back-engaging portion, the base of the latter being adapted to engage the back of the book at a point below the line of engagement of the arms with the pages of the book, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. E. PEARSON, G. G. HECK. 

